SOC 1 and SOC 2 Compliance Services, from Readiness to CPA‑Attested Report
SOC 2 compliance audit services for SaaS, cloud, and service providers. We handle scoping, gap analysis, controls, and evidence, through to a SOC 1 or SOC 2 report attested by a licensed CPA firm. Most readiness and Type 1 programs take 6–12 weeks. One fixed-fee proposal covers readiness and the CPA-attested report.
Page reviewed 13 October 2026 by the Accredify Global compliance team.
What Are SOC 2 Compliance Services?
SOC 2 compliance services prepare a service organization for a SOC 2 examination and see it through to the final report. A SOC 2 report is an independent CPA firm's opinion on your controls, measured against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
Accredify Global runs the whole program. We scope your systems and criteria, run a gap analysis, help you close control gaps, and organize the evidence. A licensed CPA partner firm then performs the attestation and signs the report, because AICPA standards allow only a CPA firm to do that.
The same approach covers SOC 1 reports for services that affect your customers' financial reporting, such as payroll, billing, and transaction processing.
Who Issues Your SOC Report, and What Accredify Global Does
Only a licensed CPA firm can issue a SOC 1 or SOC 2 report. SOC examinations are performed under AICPA attestation standards (SSAE 18). SOC 2 reports are measured against the 2017 Trust Services Criteria, with revised points of focus published in 2022. Anyone who promises a SOC 2 "certificate" without a CPA firm is not offering a real SOC report.
Accredify Global delivers everything up to the attestation: scoping, gap analysis, control design, evidence operations, and a quality review before testing. We then coordinate the examination with a licensed CPA partner firm, whose fee is included in our proposal. You get one managed delivery lane and an independent report your customers can rely on.
Sources: AICPA: SOC 2 · EY: 2022 revisions to the Trust Services Criteria guidance
What Is a SOC 1 Report?
A SOC 1 report is a CPA firm's opinion on a service organization's controls that are relevant to its customers' internal control over financial reporting. Your customers' auditors use it so they don't have to audit you themselves.
Who needs a SOC 1 report
Payroll, billing, claims, payment, loan servicing, fund administration, and other services that feed your customers' financial statements.
Control objectives
You define control objectives, such as "transactions are processed completely and accurately", and the controls that achieve them.
SOC 1 Type 1
The CPA firm's opinion on the fairness of your system description and the design of controls at a specific date.
SOC 1 Type 2 report
Adds testing of whether controls operated effectively across a period, commonly 3 to 12 months. Most customers' auditors ask for Type 2.
User entity controls
The report lists complementary user entity controls: the steps your customers must perform themselves for the controls to work.
Subservice organizations
Cloud hosts and processors you rely on are either carved out or included, and the report explains which approach was used.
Outside the US, the equivalent of a SOC 1 report is often issued under ISAE 3402. Many service organizations need both a SOC 1 and a SOC 2 report, and we run them as one program with shared evidence.
SOC 1 vs SOC 2 vs SOC 3: Which Report Do You Need?
The right report depends on what your customers rely on you for, and who will read the report.
| Report | What it covers | Who reads it |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 1 | Controls relevant to customers' financial reporting | Customers' finance teams and their financial auditors |
| SOC 2 | Security plus optional availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy | Customers, prospects, and partners, under NDA, in security reviews |
| SOC 3 | The same criteria as SOC 2, in a short summary without test details | Anyone; it can be published on a trust page |
For the full comparison, including restricted use, bridge letters and when you need both, read SOC 1 vs SOC 2.
SOC 2 Type 1 vs Type 2: Three Routes to a Report
A Type 1 report covers control design at one date. A Type 2 report adds operating effectiveness over an observation period. Most teams follow one of three routes.
SOC 2 Compliance Requirements: The Five Trust Services Criteria
Security is required in every SOC 2 report. The other four criteria are added when your service commitments call for them.
Protection against unauthorized access, covering access control, change management, monitoring, and incident response.
For uptime commitments: capacity, backups, disaster recovery, and tested restores.
For services where complete, accurate, and timely processing matters, such as payments.
For customer data marked confidential: classification, restricted access, and secure disposal.
For personal information: notice, consent, collection, use, retention, and disposal.
Every report includes management's description of the system, prepared against the AICPA description criteria.
Policies and controls auditors typically ask to see
- Information security policy and risk assessment
- Access provisioning, quarterly access reviews, and offboarding
- Change management and code review records
- Vulnerability management and penetration test results
- Logging, monitoring, and incident response
- Vendor risk management and subservice organization reviews
- Backup, recovery, and business continuity testing
- Security awareness training and background checks
Evidence a CPA firm commonly samples
- Complete population lists: new hires, leavers, and system changes
- Access review sign-offs across the period
- Change tickets with approvals and test results
- Alert, incident, and vulnerability remediation records
- Backup restore tests and vendor review dates
Want the full SOC 2 readiness checklist? Our SOC 2 audit cost, timeline and checklist guide walks through each control area and the evidence a CPA firm samples. It also covers how to prepare for the observation period.
How Our SOC 2 Compliance Audit Services Work
Six phases, from scoping call to report, with one managed delivery lane.
Not sure whether you need SOC 1, SOC 2, or both, or which criteria to include? A free scoping review answers that first.
Book a free scoping reviewWhat Clients Say About Their SOC 2 Examination
“Our engineers were worried that a SOC 2 review would turn into months of unplanned evidence requests. Accredify Global laid out the system boundaries and control requests early, then worked through examples from our actual release process. When a record was unclear, the team explained what they needed to understand and why. That made it possible for us to keep serving customers while the examination moved forward.”
“Enterprise prospects kept asking for a SOC report, and we initially thought every part of our platform had to be covered. The scope discussion helped us describe the service commitments and supporting systems accurately. The team was careful with the wording and did not promise an outcome before testing. That professionalism mattered to us because our customers read these reports closely.”
“We could show our current vendor reviews, but our customer needed a report covering several months. Accredify Global sampled the review dates across the period and found that one critical vendor had been missed after its contract owner changed. The team gave us a clear account of the exception and its effect on the examination. I valued that directness; it let us address the ownership issue instead of assuming a current spreadsheet proved what had happened all year.”
SOC 2 Audit Cost and Timeline
SOC 2 audit services don't have a list price. The cost follows the effort your scope needs, from readiness through CPA fieldwork. After a free scoping review you get one fixed-fee proposal, with the independent CPA attestation included and no hidden costs or scope creep added later.
What moves the price
- In-scope systems — more systems mean more controls to design and test
- Criteria included — Security only, or Security plus other criteria
- Report type — Type 1, Type 2, and whether SOC 1 is added
- Control maturity — documented, working controls reduce remediation
- Evidence readiness — organized evidence shortens fieldwork
How long each route takes
| Readiness and Type 1 | 6–12 weeks, depending on scope and maturity |
|---|---|
| Type 2 observation period | Commonly 3–12 months, set with your CPA firm |
| Annual renewal | Roughly every 12 months |
A Type 2 report is issued after the observation period ends. If a gap opens between reports, ask the CPA firm for a bridge letter.
SOC 2 Compliance Consultants for SaaS, Cloud, and Service Providers
You likely need a SOC report now if a security questionnaire, enterprise deal, or customer's auditor is asking for one.
Enterprise security reviews move faster when you can share a current SOC 2 report under NDA.
Processing integrity matters, and SOC 1 often sits alongside SOC 2 for finance customers.
SOC 2 supports customer reviews alongside HIPAA compliance and HITRUST.
Payroll and outsourced finance services usually need SOC 1 and SOC 2 together.
Clients delegate access and operations to you, and expect independent proof that it's controlled.
Buyers ask how AI workloads handle their data. See AI governance.
How to Choose SOC 2 Certification Services
Buyers often ask for "SOC 2 certification", but SOC 2 is an attestation report. These are the questions worth asking SOC 2 certification consultants before you sign.
| Question to ask | Accredify Global's answer |
|---|---|
| Who signs the report? | A licensed CPA partner firm, as AICPA standards require. We coordinate the examination with them. |
| Is the CPA fee included? | Yes. The independent attestation is included in our proposal. |
| Is the price fixed? | Yes. One fixed fee covers readiness and the CPA attestation, agreed after the free scoping review. |
| Do we need a compliance platform? | No. We work with the tools you already use, or manage evidence in our own tracker. |
| Can you scope SOC 1 and SOC 2 together? | Yes. Shared controls and evidence are tested once where the CPA firm allows it. |
| Will you promise a clean opinion? | No one honestly can. Readiness work and a quality review reduce the chance of exceptions. |
| Can you align SOC 2 with ISO 27001? | Yes. Many controls overlap, so one program can support both. |
SOC 2 vs ISO 27001, ISAE 3000, HITRUST, and NIST CSF
How SOC 2 compares with the frameworks buyers ask about alongside it.
| Framework | What you get | When buyers ask for it |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 27001 | An accredited certificate for your ISMS | International buyers, and teams that want a certificate. See ISO 27001 vs SOC 2. |
| ISAE 3000 / 3402 | International assurance reports, similar to SOC 2 and SOC 1 | Customers outside the US, especially in Europe |
| HITRUST | A certification built for healthcare data | US healthcare customers and payers |
| NIST CSF 2.0 | A voluntary framework with no certificate | US boards, insurers, and public-sector buyers |
SOC 2 Certification in India: Cost, Timeline, and Who Attests
Indian SaaS companies, IT services firms, and BPOs often need SOC 2 because their US customers ask for it. We deliver SOC 1 and SOC 2 programs for teams in India remotely. The report is attested by a licensed CPA firm, the same standard your US buyers expect.
SOC 2 cost in India depends on the same drivers as anywhere else: in-scope systems, criteria, report type, and control maturity. Request a scoping review for a tailored proposal. We also support teams in the US, UK, Singapore, Ireland, and Israel.
Typical SOC Deliverables
Systems, service commitments, criteria, and report type, agreed before work starts.
Each gap mapped to a Trust Services Criterion, with an owner and a fix.
Designed to fit how your team already works, not a template library.
Management's description, drafted against the AICPA description criteria.
Evidence ready for the CPA firm's sampling, in your tools or our tracker.
Your SOC 1 or SOC 2 Type 1 or Type 2 report, ready to share with customers.
SOC 1 and SOC 2 Audit and Compliance FAQ
Straight answers on SOC 1 reports, Type 1 and Type 2, cost, timeline, and who issues the report.
What do SOC 2 compliance consultants do?
SOC 2 compliance consultants help you prepare for and complete a SOC 2 examination. At Accredify Global that means scoping systems and Trust Services Criteria, running a gap analysis, and implementing and documenting controls. We also manage evidence and coordinate the independent CPA attestation that produces your final report.
Who issues the final SOC 2 or SOC 1 report?
Only a licensed CPA firm can issue a SOC 1 or SOC 2 report, as AICPA standards require. Accredify Global manages the delivery lifecycle up to that step and coordinates the examination with a licensed CPA partner firm.
What is a SOC 1 report?
A SOC 1 report is a CPA firm's opinion on a service organization's controls that are relevant to its customers' internal control over financial reporting. Payroll, billing, payment, and similar services use it, and their customers and customers' auditors read it.
What is a SOC 1 Type 2 report?
A SOC 1 Type 2 report covers both the design of controls and whether they operated effectively over a period, commonly 3 to 12 months. A SOC 1 Type 1 report covers design only, at a single date. Most customers' financial auditors ask for Type 2.
What is the difference between SOC 1 and SOC 2?
SOC 1 reports on controls relevant to your customers' financial reporting, such as payroll, billing, or transaction processing. SOC 2 reports on controls for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy under the Trust Services Criteria. SOC 2 is what most SaaS and cloud buyers request.
What is the difference between a Type 1 and a Type 2 report?
A Type 1 report covers the design of your controls at a single point in time. A Type 2 report covers both design and operating effectiveness over an observation period. Many teams start with Type 1 to unblock deals, then move to Type 2.
Is SOC 2 a certification?
Strictly, no. SOC 2 is an attestation report issued by a CPA firm that describes your controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. It is not a certificate like ISO 27001. Buyers still commonly ask for SOC 2 certification, and the report serves the same purpose: independent assurance you can share with customers.
What are the SOC 2 compliance requirements?
SOC 2 requires controls that meet the Security criterion, plus any of availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy that you include in scope. You also need a system description prepared against the AICPA description criteria, and evidence that controls are designed, and for Type 2 operating, as described.
How much do SOC 2 audit services cost?
The cost depends on your in-scope systems, the Trust Services Criteria included, and whether you need a Type 1 or Type 2 report. Control maturity and existing evidence also matter. Accredify Global confirms your quote after a free scoping review, in one proposal that includes the independent CPA attestation. Accredify Global gives you one fixed-fee proposal, with the CPA firm's fee included, so the price doesn't grow after you sign.
How long does a SOC 2 compliance audit take?
Most readiness and Type 1 programs take 6 to 12 weeks, depending on scope, control maturity, and available evidence. A Type 2 report also needs an observation period, commonly 3 to 12 months, whose length is set with your CPA firm.
How long is a SOC 2 report valid?
A SOC 2 report covers a defined date or period, and most buyers expect a new report roughly every 12 months. Plan for annual renewal, and issue a bridge letter from management if a gap opens between reports.
Can you fail a SOC 2 audit?
SOC 2 is not pass or fail. The CPA firm issues an opinion and documents any control exceptions in the report. A gap analysis and remediation before testing reduce the chance of exceptions or a qualified opinion, which is the purpose of readiness work.
Is SOC 2 required by law?
No. SOC 2 is a voluntary AICPA framework. Enterprise customers, investors, and regulated industries often require it by contract, so it is effectively mandatory for many B2B service providers.
Who can perform a SOC 2 audit?
Only a licensed CPA firm can issue a SOC 2 report. Consultants and readiness providers, including Accredify Global, prepare you for the examination and coordinate it, but the CPA firm performs and signs the attestation.
What is a SOC 3 report?
A SOC 3 report covers the same Trust Services Criteria as SOC 2 but is a short, general-use summary without the detailed test results. Because it can be shared publicly, companies often publish it on their website alongside a SOC 2 report shared under NDA.
Can SOC 2 work be aligned with ISO 27001?
Yes. Many controls and governance workflows overlap, so aligning SOC delivery with an ISO 27001 information security management system reduces duplicated compliance effort.
Do we need a compliance automation platform for SOC 2?
No. We work with the tools you already use, or manage evidence in our own tracker. A platform can help with evidence collection, but it is not required to get a SOC 2 report.
Can startups get SOC 2?
Yes. Startups often begin with a tightly scoped Type 1 report to clear an enterprise deal, then move to Type 2 as controls mature. Our SOC 2 for Startups guide covers the growth-stage path.
Which SOC 2 provider should a SaaS company choose?
Choose a provider whose report is signed by a licensed CPA firm, with readiness support if you lack in-house capacity, a fixed fee, and no forced software platform. Accredify Global runs readiness and coordinates a licensed CPA partner firm's attestation in one fixed-fee proposal, working with the tools you already use.
Do you support SOC 2 compliance for companies outside the United States?
Yes. We support SOC 1 and SOC 2 programs for teams in India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Ireland, Israel, and other countries.
What is the SOC 2 certification cost in India?
The cost drivers are the same as elsewhere: in-scope systems, Trust Services Criteria, Type 1 or Type 2, and control maturity. We deliver programs for teams in India remotely, so request a scoping review for a tailored proposal.
How quickly can we start?
Most teams begin with a scoped kickoff and gap analysis within days, followed by a structured end-to-end delivery plan.
Is a SOC 2 certification audit the same as a SOC 2 audit?
Yes, people use both terms for the same thing, but SOC 2 is not a certification. A SOC 2 audit is an examination by a licensed CPA firm that ends in a report with the auditor's opinion, not a certificate. If you need a certificate that buyers can verify, ISO 27001 is the certifiable standard most often paired with SOC 2.
Find Out Which SOC Report You Need, and What It Will Take
Tell us about your systems, customers, and the deal or auditor asking for a SOC report. We'll recommend SOC 1, SOC 2, or both, the right report type, and a timeline, and send one proposal with CPA attestation included.
Book your free scoping review →